Graytail's Prophecy
by ArzieFoxxx
Summary: After receiving a prophecy from Moonclan, Graytail is off to complete a mission- to save the forest from Needleclaw and The Lynx's paws... (Fanfic for Warriors; I used only my OC's and I have permission to use my friends OC's. Credits to her for Bunnypelt and Wolfear)
1. Prologue

**Prolouge**

 _The rain fell hard onto the earth._

"Sharp, would ya look at that forest! I bet it's full of prey!" a shaggy, raged lynx-tom meowed to Sharp, the sleek furred speckled tom.

"Pecker, you know that if we want the forest, we'll have to fight. I can't afford losing any more good fellow lynx. You know that, and as your leader, I will make the decision."

Pecker looked down at his paws, then raised his head,

"Vine! Come here!" Pecker yowled into a small hollow, and a darker gray she-lynx came out,

"What about my trainee's ceremony? She is training well." Pecker beckoned his trainee to him.

"Vine, do you agree? Have your trained well?" Sharp looked down at the trainee.

"Yes, Sharpstone." Vine answered using Sharp's leader name.

"Okay, but we will have your ceremony, after we claim the forest. The kitty, Needleclaw, was it? Yes, he proposed a truce, that if we help him rule the forest, he will give us half of his land."

Sharp paused for a moment, then said,

"Train her harder, Pecker. She has to be ready for the battle. I shall speak to the other trainers too."

Sharp padded away, his icy blue eyes glowing in the dark night, as the rain grew heavier.


	2. Allegiances

Allegiances

IceClan

Leader

Yellowstar (Black tom with bright yellow eyes)

Deputy Shootingwhisker (orange tabby she-cat with white

underbelly and dark blue eyes, mother of Yellowstar's kits, Whisperkit and

Yellowkit)

Sub Deputy: Pineheart (Best warrior in Iceclan)

Medicine cat

Mintleaf ( White tom with Minty-green eyes)

Badgernose (Molted mud colored tom with slashed scar on nose and dark amber eyes)

Warriors

Pineheart (Braken colored tabby tom with white underbelly and

amber eyes, best warrior in IceClan)

Hazel ( Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with icy blue eyes)

Cloudspot (Black tom with white patterned droplet on forehead

and dark forest-green eyes)

Toadshade ( Small black tom with green eyes)

Dustfire (Small, bright orange she-cat with brown dusty patterned patches and blue- purple eyes)

Nightheart (Black tom with dark blue eyes)

Graytail (Blue-gray tabby striped she-cat with plump fluffy tail, black ears, paws and tufts on ears, white chin and large dash on chest)

 _Apprentice:_ Bunnypaw

Carvy ( Handsome, solid gray-silver tom with white on

top of snout, white toes, tail tip, chest, and underbelly, with icy

blue eyes and nick on his right ear)

 _Apprentice: Foxpaw_

Leafheart (Brown tabby she-cat with bright amber eyes)

Hareflight (Dark grey she-cat with bright yellow eyes)

Sagewing ( Pale tan tom with bright green eyes)

Silverfoot (Pretty blue-silver tabby she-cat with one pale silver paw, thin, fluffy tail, and bright amber eyes)

Wolfear (Massive, dark gray tom with wolf-like tail and ears, swift nose, and huge scar running besides his back)

Needleclaw (Dark gray tom with long scar along cheek, black spot around right eye, and dark amber eyes)

Queens

Splashflower (White she-cat with ginger splashed patterns and yellow eyes)

Silentsong (Brown she-cat with green eyes)

Shootingwhisker (Mother of Yellowkit and Whisperkit)

Kits

Nightkit (Black she-kit with dark blue eyes)

Shadekit (Really dark gray tom with with yellow eyes)

Eaglekit (White tom with smudged dark brown patterns

and green eyes)  
Yellowkit ( Ginger tom with darker stripe of ginger fur running down back and yellow eyes)

Whisperkit (Black she-kit with clear, icy blue eyes)

Apprentices

Bunnypaw (Small, pale brown, long- limbed she-cat with clear, bright emerald eyes and big ears)

Foxpaw (Quiet dark hazel tabby she-cat, white snout, legs, chest, underbelly, and tip of plump fluffy tail, with dark amber eyes, right eye slashed shut from injury)

Clawpaw (Dark brown she-cat, with clear, dark amber-russet eyes)

Elders

Flinchfern (Brown and tan tom with green eyes)

Mistlefang (Scrawny smoky black she-cat with one eye

yellow and the other blue, is blind)

Poppystripe (Orange tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Birchtail (Deaf tom with tan fur and clear, yellow eyes)

Outside The Clan

Renegade (White muscular tom with smudged patterns of

black and clear, bright emerald eyes)

Tigerstripe (Flame-ginger, black tabby striped she-cat

with white paws, underbelly, and clear, blazing emerald green eyes)

Aruq (White male dog with half of face patterned black, black patched back, and blind, scared, clear blue eyes)

Pine (Dark gray tabby tom with clear, bright yellow eyes)

Lizard (Fiery pale brown she-cat with snow white paws,

chest, tail tip, and snout, and clear, bright forest-green eyes)

Sharp (Massive "lynx-like" sleek furred speckled tom with clear, icy blue eyes and a long scar running along his flank)


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Graykit tripped over Needlekit's tail,

"You'll have to be _faster_ if you want to catch me!" he yowled,

"I'll be faster than _you_ when i'm a warrior!" Graykit squeaked.

A tabby brown she-cat walked over,

"Now, now, calm yourselves. Splashflower is sleeping. She must rest if her kits are going to be strong and healthy,"

Leafheart licked Graykit,

"And you," she looked at Needlekit,

"Your mother is worried sick! Go tell her you're here. She won't believe me!"

Needlekit scampered away.

"Is today our apprentice ceremony?" Graykit asked eagerly.

"Yes. And you look like you've been attacked by a badger! Let's get you cleaned up."

A faint yowling came a long distance away, then it grew louder and louder.

"It's time." Leafheart sighed,

"Oh, you're growing up too fast!" Leafheart gave Graykit a last lick, then they trotted off to the cavern.

Yellowstar looked down at the clan,

"Today, two brave kits turn into apprentices,"

"Graykit, do you promise to respect your mentor and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do!" she meowed.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Graypaw."

Graypaw sat straight, and waited.

"Needlekit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do…" Needlekit said.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Needlepaw."

Needlepaw lifted his chin proudly.

"Pineheart," Yellowstar looked at the young bracken colored warrior,

"You shall mentor both these apprentices, you have showed lots of skills. I hope you pass all the skills Mistlefang has taught you."

Pineheart just nodded approval, and touched noses with both his new apprentices.

"Needlepaw! Graypaw!" the clan yowled and went to meet them to congratulate them.

Graypaw noticed that Carvy, one of the apprentices, was holding back from the cluster of cats.

Carvy was a rogue,but he joined the clan, along with his mother, Hazel, and turned into an apprentice two days ago. Hazel turned into a warrior. They both kept their names instead of choosing warrior names.

Carvy sat far away from the cluster, he just glared at both at them. When the cluster died down, he just brushed past, annoyed as Needlepaw stuck his tongue out at him.

"Don't listen to that frog-faced rogue, Graypaw." he growled, then gave her a lick on the ear.

The apprentice den felt cold. Since snow-fall was coming, the breeze got colder everyday. Graypaw has also noticed that Needlepaw was acting weird. He gotten a bit brutal, almost hurting poor Nightkit, Splashflower's kit, when he was play fighting with them. He's also been bossing them around as if he were leader! Graypaw squeezed herself with her tail to keep warm, keeping her mind away from that, until she heard a rustling. She saw Needlepaw get up.

"Where are you going?" she whispered.

 _I hope he doesn't do anything stupid!_

"Stretch my legs. I'll be right back." he stalked out of the den.

Graypaw stood up and felt her leg bump into something,

"Hey!"

She turned around and saw Carvy, his icy blue stare burned through her,

"And what do you think _you're_ doing?" he snarled.

"Sorry," Graypaw turned her head in embarrassment. She started to walk towards the nursery.

"I said, where are you going?" Carvy repeated, jumping in front of her.

"To visit my mother, okay?! Unless you want to come…"

"What do I need to do with your mother?" Carvy brushed past and layed down again.

"Fine. Go." He mumbled.

Graypaw rolled her eyes, _bossy furball!,_ and walked to the nursery to see her mother, when she heard a rustling nearby.

It was Wolfear was in the bushes. He was holding Bunnykit, the two moon old kit. Needlepaw was with him.

"Bunnykit, how many times do I have to tell you, you can't leave the camp until you're an apprentice!"

"So that's where you went! You could have just told me, y'know." Graypaw looked at Needlepaw, then joined the three back to the nursery.

Graypaw notice Wolfear kept shooting glances at Bunnykit, until she finally got it,

"Wait until she's a warrior, then you can be together" she purred.

Wolfear looked up, embarrassed,

"She's okay, I guess."

" _Sure…_ " Needlepaw teased.

Graypaw went to Needlepaw's side. He touched his muzzle with her's in greeting,

"How come you didn't tell me?" she asked,

"I _was_ going to go for a hunt, but then I saw the kit running out of camp and followed her with Wolfear. I _can_ still go hunting…"

Needlepaw stared at Graypaw intently,

"Okay."


	4. Chapter 2-3

**Chapter 2**

The soft leaves crunched under Graypaw's paws. She pressed herself to Needlepaw's side, trying to avoid the cold. The mice dangling from her jaws were scrawny, but they were good for now.

"And where have you been?"

A shadow stalked toward them, it was Pineheart.

"We were hunting," Needlepaw dropped the mole he caught in front of his paws, Graypaw did the same.

"Very well, then" Pineheart picked up one of Graypaw's mice and walked toward the fresh-prey pile.

Needlepaw walked toward the apprentice den, followed by Graypaw.

"So you came back from the nursery? That was a little long, don't you think?"

Carvy's icy blue stare glowed in the den.

Graypaw turned her head in embarrassment,

"You're late for training. And they told me to wait until your tails were here!"

Carvy walked out of the den, and Graypaw and Needlepaw followed him to the training hollow.

"What happened to the two of you?" Shootingwhisker asked as she nAruqed her eyes.

"We just went for a hunt. Y'know, to stretch our legs…"

Shootingwhisker just stared at Needlepaw,

"Okay, we... _he_ ," Graypaw said, gesturing her tail to Needlepaw, "saw Bunnykit out of the nursery, _again_ , and I was going to visit Leafheart at the nursery."

They looked at Bunnykit, playing with her brother, Sagekit. Wolfear had joined them.

"I'll have to tell Yellowstar anyway, but okay. We'll start with battle training…"

 **Chapter 3**

 _6 moons later_

Graypaw sat next to small Bunnykit at the warriors ceremony. Yellowstar looked down at Carvy, Needlepaw, and Graypaw, and then at Bunnykit and Sagekit, Clawkit, and last of all, Foxkit.

"Today we have three brave apprentices, ready to be warriors, and four kits becoming apprentices."

"Carvy, now, you chose not to have a warrior name, do you wish to still have one?"

Carvy looked at his paws,

"No, thank you. With all due respect, Yellowstar, I'd like to keep my name."

Yellowstar nodded approval,

"Carvy, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do."

"Then from now on, you are an official warrior of Iceclan!"

Yellowstar rested his head on Carvy, and Carvy licked his shoulder in return.

He looked at Needlepaw with respect,

"Needlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do." Needlepaw meowed.

"Then from now on, you shall be known as Needleclaw."

After Yellowstar finished with Needleclaw, he looked at Graypaw.

"Graypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even if it cost your life?"

"I do," she replied firmly.

"Then from this moment forward, your name shall be Graytail."

He rested his head on Graytail, and she licked his shoulder in response.

"Graytail! Needleclaw! Carvy!" the clan chanted their names

Yellowstar raised his tail in silence, the clan got quiet.

"We have three kits, ready for apprenticeship. Sagekit, Bunnykit, Foxkit?"

Yellowstar looked at the kits,

"Sagekit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"YES-I mean, I do." Sagekit raised his head.

Yellowstar eyes shone with amusement,

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Sagepaw." Yellowstar looked straight at Wolfear,

"Wolfear will be your mentor."

Wolfear touched noses with his apprentice.

"Bunnykit," Yellowstar's yellow gaze rested on her,

"Do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do…" Bunnykit squeaked.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Bunnypaw."

"Your mentor will be Graytail."

Yellowstar looked down at small Foxkit,

"Foxkit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"I do!" Foxkit screeched proudly,

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Foxpaw."

"Your mentor will be Carvy."

Yellowstar looked down at Clawkit, his eyes warm,

"Clawkit, do you promise to respect your mentor, and learn the ways of the warrior code?"

"Yes." Clawkit said respectfully.

"Then from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Clawpaw."

"Sagepaw! Bunnypaw! Foxpaw! Clawpaw!" the clan chanted one more time, but the loudest of them all was Wolfear.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The warriors den felt warm, with all the warriors curled up. Graytail soon closed her eyes.

Graytail opened her eyes, but there was no one in the den. Panic rose in her throat.

"It's okay, young warrior."

Graytail looked around,

"Who's talking?"

A shining figure walked towards her,

"I am Silentstar, the former leader of Iceclan. I have a message for you."

As the she-cat's flaming red-brown fur glowed, she walked closer, until she reached Graytail.

"Rain will turn red, rivers of blood will cover the forest, only two stone cats can save us."

She paused, then meowed,

"The stone cats shall climb to the Sacred Mountains, but meet first at the Gathering place. Before moonhigh."

The she-cat's figure started to fade,

"Wait! Don't leave! I don't know what that means!"

Graytail crouched down, as darkness began to swallow her.

Graytail's eyes flew open. An icy blue stare looked down at her.

"Are you okay? You were meowling like a kit!"

Carvy narrowed his eyes as he waited for an answer.

"Sorry, I just had a bad dream, that's all."

Graytail got up,

" _Wait_... why do _you_ care?"

She whipped her head around and turned to Carvy, giving him a questioning look.

Carvy hesitated,

"Hey, I'd do _anything_ for a good nap."

Then he stalked out of the den.

Graytail, still confused, walked out of the den to the fresh-prey pile.

"Hello. You finally woke up?" Needleclaw walked to Graytail's side and purred in greeting.

"Hello, Needleclaw. I just had a bad dream." Graytail brushed her tail to his side.

"Well, everyone has dreams." he purred as they reached the fresh-prey pile.

Graytail picked out a starling from the pile. She and Needleclaw ate together.

"Needleclaw, what could 'two stone cats' mean?" Graytail asked the dark gray tom. His one jet black paw rose from the ground curiously,

"I don't know-"

"AHHH!" Bunnypaw came tumbling out of the apprentices den.

Wolfear has been trying to wake her up all morning.

"Gotcha!" he said, as he pinned Bunnypaw down.

"I caught _your_ apprentice snoozing." he growled to Graytail.

"Your a mentor now." he stalked away, to find Sagepaw.

"What's _his_ problem?" Bunnypaw tilted her head with sympathy.

"I _think_ I know. See you later, Needleclaw! Remember about Clawpaw's training!" she pelted toward the training area.

"Okay Bunnypaw, time for training." Graytail purred.

"Graytail!" she heard a voice in the distance. "Graytail, Shootingwhisker would like to see you."

Graytail turned around, Needleclaw's bulky shape coming into view, Clawpaw at his side, their pelts brushed, and mingled together.

"Okay, Bunnypaw, go train with Wolfear." Graytail told Bunnypaw.

"But wasn't he a little upset?" Bunnypaw tilted her head once more

"I-I can train with her. Clawpaw could use a partner." Needleclaw offered

Graytail hesitated,

"Oh, okay then." she walked over to the IcecIan deputy.

"Shootingwhisker, you wanted to see me?" Graytail asked

Shootingwhisker narrowed her eyes in confusion,

"No… What are you up to?" she snarled.

"N-nothing! Needleclaw told me."

Shootingwhisker looked confused, then send Graytail away.

Graytail went back to the training hollow. She stopped dead. Clawpaw laid on her back, carelessly, Foxpaw pawed at the ground. Then it struck Graytail,

"Where's Bunnypaw?"


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Graytail heard yowling in the distance. She chased after them. They raced past Wolfear and Sagepaw.

"Sagepaw, go back to camp." Wolfear told him. Sagepaw ran to camp as Wolfear tagged along with Graytail.

"Oh, she could be dead!" Wolfear whimpered.

"That _fox-hearted_ warrior!" he growled.

"Bunnypaw seemed scared. We _have_ to get her!" Graytail replied.

They saw Needleclaw stop, pinning Bunnypaw to the floor. She struggled.

"Stop! Get away from her! You piece of… of _fox-dung_!" Wolfear sprang onto Needleclaw's back and pinned him down with a paw to the neck.

"Wolfear! Retreat!" a voice called in the distance.

Carvy pelted into the clearing, Foxpaw at his side. Bunnypaw got up, but fell over again.

"What in the name of Moonclan are you _doing_?!" The icy blue eyes, once again, burned through all of them.

"We caught this mouse-brained fool attack Bunnypaw!" Wolfear growled in Carvy's face as Foxpaw helped Bunnypaw up.

Carvy took a step back, away from the strong warrior. He looked at Needleclaw with a look full of hatred. Needleclaw spat back, his amber eyes blazing. Carvy then looked at Bunnypaw, and walked over.

He sat down and asked,

"What did he do to you?"

Bunnypaw hesitated, then calmed down when Wolfear and Foxpaw blocked Needleclaw away from her.

"He _claimed_ that he was going to help me train," Bunnypaw started.

"That's true." Graytail commented, giving an angry look to Needleclaw.

"But then he grabbed me and he ran off. And you all know the rest." Bunnypaw finished.

Graytail felt hurt inside.

 _How could he do this?_

"Bring him to the clan as a prisoner." Graytail meowed, but Needleclaw had already ran off.

Wolfear cursed under his breath, then meowed,

"I'll go after him. I'll teach him a lesson."

"Please don't go! What if he comes back?" Bunnypaw begged.

"No, I should go after him." Carvy said.

"What about Foxpaw's training?" Graytail asked.

"Take her for me, will you?" he replied.

"You stay in the camp." Carvy told them.

"And _you_ ," Carvy looked at Graytail , "Report to Yellowstar."

Without a last glance, the silver-gray warrior stalked away.

Graytail looked at Wolfear, she was ready for payback,

"You're a mentor now. You have an apprentice to train." and she walked away, with Bunnypaw and Foxpaw at her side.

"OHHHHH!" Bunnypaw laughed.

"Nice one!" Foxpaw purred.

"Don't tell Yellowstar I said that though." Graytail meowed in amusement.

Wolfear flicked his ear in amusement.

Graytail had just finished training with Bunnypaw and Foxpaw, until she heard a yowling. Wolfear and Sagepaw were play-fighting again.

"Wolfear! What in the name-" she was cut off by the meowing laughter of both toms.

"Having fun! What do you think?" He gave one more _mreow_ of laughter as he aimed for Sagepaw's soft belly. Wolfear's huge paw's clamped down on Sagepaw, claws sheathed and harmless.

"Come join us, Bunnypaw!" Sagepaw's sky colored blue eyes looked intently at his sister, but she shook her head.

"Okay, just finish playing around. But get training soon. I have to tell Yellowstar about… the incident."

Bunnypaw shivered. Graytail felt sympathy for her.

"Sure." Wolfear laid down on his back and stretched his massive body, "I'll let Bunnypaw join us, and Foxpaw can come too." Wolfear signaled his tail to Bunnypaw as he layed on his side, and she ran over, and rubbed her cheek against Wolfear's, then her brother's, who purred in greeting. Sagepaw playfully pawed softly at Foxpaw's right eye, where it slashed shut because of a thorn incident. The scar was permanent, so she'll never open the eye again. She didn't mind though.

"Are you sure? Three apprentices are a lot, will you need help?" Graytail asked, and Wolfear nodded under the swarm of apprentices play-fighting.

Graytail knew Bunnypaw and Wolfear would be great for each other in the future.

But she got that of her mind and walked away to the leader's den. Behind the lichen wall, she called out,

"Yellowstar?"

"Come in." a deep voice answered.

Graytail stalked into the den and sat down with the wise leader.

"Well, how are you?" Yellowstar asked.

"I'm well, Yellowstar. I just have some…uh… _surprising_ news." Graytail didn't want to tell her leader what happened with Needleclaw. After all, the kind leader trusted Needleclaw with all the nine lives he had in him.

Graytail hesitated, then meowed

"Needleclaw attacked Bunnypaw this morning." Graytail tried not to flinch when she saw the shocked look on Yellowstar's face,

"Needleclaw told me that Shootingwhisker needed to see me, but when I came back, that Shootingwhisker never said anything, Bunnypaw was gone. Wolfear attacked Needleclaw, but then Carvy stopped them as he, well, I think, came back from hunting. He went after Needleclaw when he ran off, and hasn't come back yet. Before he left, he told me to come and report."

Yellowstar looked like he was about to yowl in pain, but he just stared at Graytail in grief.

"I'm sorry, I know you trusted him, and-"

She heard the screeches of cats outside.

As she and Yellowstar pelted outside, Needleclaw came in view, his jaws dripping with blood.

And Leafheart was in the middle of the camp, motionless.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"No!" Graytail yowled as she ran to her mother, her tail between her legs,

Hazel walked over and sat by her.

"She was a friend of mine…" the pretty tortoiseshell whispered loud enough for Graytail to hear.

"Needleclaw! You shall be outcasted!" Yellowstar rasped in emotion.

"How _could_ you?!" Graytail eyes were glazed with pain, as she looked at her mother again.

Graytail unsheathed her claws, and scraped at the soft earth.

"He… he deserved it! I killed Sageclaw! Father, do you hear me?! Be proud!" Needleclaw yowled as he lifted his snout in the air.

It was clear that he has gone crazy.

Yellowstar looked around for Carvy, then Graytail saw his gaze fall on the sharp-tongued warrior, whose ear was badly nicked and bleeding. Foxpaw ran over and tried to playfully paw at him, but Carvy just shooed her away with a hiss.

" _What_ happened?" Yellowstar demanded.

"I brought this stupid furball back to camp, then he stopped dead when he saw Leafheart walking toward the fresh-prey pile. I tried to stop him, but he hit me right on the ear, and ran as fast as a squirrel could climb a tree!"

Yellowstar's tail swished in anger as he looked at Needleclaw.

"Carvy, Toadshade, Wolfear, and Flinchfern. Outcast this warrior, and make sure he stays out." Yellowstar flicked his ear in signal, as the four strong warriors surrounded Needleclaw, and pushed him out of camp.

"I'm coming with you!" Clawpaw pelted out of the apprentice's den and raced after her mentor. No one stopped her.

Yellowstar looked down at Leafheart in pain,

"Mistlefang, Pineheart, Graytail, Hazel, and Silentsong. Take Leafheart's body and bury it at the Sacred Hills."

Graytail pushed her muzzle into Mistlefang's smoky-colored pelt in grief, the scent of her soft fur calmed Graytail a bit.

"You must be brave, young warrior." she rasped.

Feeling so close to the elder she has played with when she was a kit, made her feel protected, as if she were a kit again.

Mistlefang rasped her tongue on Graytail's ear,

"When you were a kit, all you needed was a piece of moss or cobweb to play with! Leafheart is in Moonclan now, watching over you, waiting for you when your final breaths come. You can survive without your mother. Your strong, young Graytail."

Comforted by the wise elder's words, she soon remembered the prophecy Silentstar had sent her. When they got to camp, she sneaked out to the Gathering place.

When she got there, a shadow of another cat, walked closer.

 _This… this must be the other stone cat!_

Graytail was excited to meet this cat.

The icy stare looked back at her. She immediately knew who it was.

Graytail was ready for the sharp retort from Carvy, but he asked gently,

"A-are you the other stone cat?"

"You had the dream too?" Graytail asked.

Carvy finally came into view, the brand-new nick on his ear was covered in cobweb.

They both turned in the direction of the bushes, as a rustling got louder.

"What are you doing here?" Carvy looked at Bunnypaw and Foxpaw as she tumbled out of the bushes.

"Wanted to see what you guys were up to." Bunnypaw's eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Does it _look_ like we're doing _anything_?!" Carvy snarled in the apprentice's face.

Graytail felt hot with embarrassment. _Stupid furballs,_ she thought, as she saw the embarrassed look on Carvy's face too. She tapped Carvy with her tail,

"We may as well explain."

Carvy's face softened, "Okay." he mumbled.

Graytail got closer to the apprentices, Carvy gave Foxpaw a soft cuff around the ear. "Okay," Graytail meowed, "Moonclan came to us in a dream…"


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The apprentices' eyes blazed with awe, as Graytail finished explaining what has happened.

"Now we're on some _crazy_ mission to save the forest." Carvy quickly finished it up.

"WE WANT TO COME!" Bunnypaw jumped like a kit, her green eyes wide and sparkling. Foxpaw widened her one dark dawn colored eyes in plead.

"No, you _can't_ come." Carvy grumbled.

"I have to agree with Carvy," she rested her tail on Carvy's shoulder. She felt him jump a little,

"You can't come. You're still apprentices. I promise we'll come back and be in time for your warrior ceremonies, okay?" Bunnypaw's eyes got dull, and she buried her nose into her fur as if Graytail were her own mother. Foxpaw's one amber eye looked down in sadness.

"Okay." Bunnypaw finally meowed, and got up to touch noses with her mentor. Foxpaw walked up to her mentor and rubbed against his leg in farewell.

"Come back soon, please." Bunnypaw looked down at her paws in sadness.

"Don't worry. Wolfear will train you until I come back." Graytail meowed to Bunnypaw,

"And I bet Pineheart will train you well." She meowed to Foxpaw.

The apprentices' eyes brightened a little, then they walked into the distance.

Carvy looked at Graytail,

"Are we off, then?" he asked.

Graytail nodded.

The trip up to the Sacred Hills was easy, but when they got past it, the ground got harder.

They finally made their way past the Sacred Hills.

" _arffffgrrrr"_

"What was _that_?" Carvy growled.

In the distance, Graytail saw a white figure walking toward them, the half of it's face black, it's sharp ears erect, along with a short, bushy tail.

"It's a dog!" Graytail shrank back next to Carvy's side.

The dog's blue eyes, scars running through them, burned on Graytail's pelt. "Why must you ruin path?" the dog growled oddly.

"You can talk _cat_?!" Carvy's icy eyes looked up at the blind dog.

"Of course Aruq talk cat!" the dog snapped,

"How you think Aruq speak to cat?"

Aruq, the blind dog, crouched down and sniffed them. Carvy let out a warning hiss, but Graytail purposely stepped hard on his paw, he winced loudly, which shut him up.

"Where are you going?" Graytail asked carefully.

The dog's blue gaze grew gentle,

"Aruq must find who he is. Aruq walked all way from mountain."

Aruq pointed with his nose to the direction of the Sacred Mountains.

"That where _we_ need to go!" Carvy whispered into Graytail's ear.

"Shhh! Cat must be quiet now!" Aruq whispered loudly.

He growled softly in the direction where a rustling grew louder.

Once the figure exploded out, the dark gray pelt, the long fur, the dark amber eyes…

"Y-you're in S-Stormclan territory!" a striped apprentice popped out of the bushes.

Graytail sighed. She had thought it was someone else. But she felt as if someone else was with them.

"That's not how you do it, Tigerpaw!" they heard a yowl from far behind. A mud colored tom walked into the clearing,

"You're in Stormclan territory." the tom hissed. "Since you've seen the apprentice's mistake." he flicked his tail, and it whacked Tigerpaw's ear. The apprentice looked down at her tiger-like paws.

"We're only passing by!" Carvy snarled back.

"More cat! Aruq not have time for nonsense!" The blind dog woofed out the words, and turned to leave.

"Wait! Aruq! Come back!" Graytail yowled after him.

The dog stopped,

"Aruq is dog. Why you want Aruq with you?"

"We need to get to those mountains," Carvy meowed before Graytail could reply, and pointed to the same direction Aruq has pointed earlier.

"Are you forgetting your on our grounds?" the mud colored tom growled once more,

"No, Aruq not forget," Aruq reared up and faced the tom, noses touching. He hissed.

"We shall leave." He growled, as he looked at the darkening sky.

As they walked away, they heard the hiss of the mud colored cat.

"Don't listen to stupid furball. Aruq, if see again, will give mud a snapping at!" Aruq woofed with amusement.

The rustling started again,

"Who _else_ wants to attack us?!" Carvy growled under his breath.

The familiar shape rolled out from the bushes,

"Bunnypaw!"


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

She looked at them, then meowed upsetly,

"I wanted to come with you!"

Graytail felt sympathy for the apprentice.

"Foxpaw?! How could you be so disobedient?!" Carvy growled as Foxpaw stumbled after Bunnypaw.

"Don't scold her. Be more patient." Graytail hissed at Carvy.

"You could have told me you were leaving." A deep mew rang from behind them.

Graytail recognised the nearby scent,

"Wolfear?" Carvy echoed her thoughts.

The muscular gray tom pricked his wolf-like ears in the air as he heard his name, and walked toward them.

"I followed Bunnypaw." Wolfear mewed. Bunnypaw's eyes got wide with surprise,

"And Foxpaw too."

"I guess I know why." Carvy teased.

Wolfear flicked his ear in embarrassment.

"Keep your jaws shut." he growled, Bunnypaw turned her head in embarrassment.

"Cat has forgot I am here?" Graytail heard the familiar woof.

"Sorry Aruq. Bunnypaw, Wolfear, Foxpaw, this is Aruq. He's going to show us where to go to get to the mountains."

The blind dog nodded approval,

"Aruq still not know _your_ name," he replied

"I'm Graytail, a that's Carvy" she meowed, pointing to where the other four were sitting.

"Let us go." Aruq walked over to the four cats, Graytail at his side, and they walked toward the mountains.

"Well thanks a lot," Carvy fell behind and walked the same pace as Graytail,

"You were the one to tell her where we're going! Now the other one knows, and he decides to follow us!" he said, as he pointed his tail to Wolfear. He sounded more worried than annoyed.

"We'll return soon, safely. Don't worry." She rasped her tongue gently around Carvy's ear. He grunted and let his pelt brush against her's in thanks as he paused to join Foxpaw, Wolfear and Bunnypaw. He left Graytail at the front of the group, she walked with Aruq.

"He _is_ nice cat," Aruq teased.

Graytail ignored the dog.

Graytail knew Carvy shared the same anxious feeling as her. Would they ever return home safely?

"Uh, Graytail, Bunnypaw fell asleep, and she _won't get up!_ " Carvy padded up once more to the front.

"Yeah! What do we do?" Foxpaw trotted after her mentor.

"I'll carry her." Wolfear offered.

"Sure." Graytail meowed back.

"Aruq, could you help us put Bunnypaw on Wolfear's back?"

"Bunny has fell? Okay."

Aruq tenderly picked Bunnypaw up, her scruff in his jaws. Wolfear crouched down as Aruq laid Bunnypaw gently on his back.

"Let's keep walking." Graytail mewed.

They soon came to a small cave, it seemed small enough, and warm enough.

"Let's rest here tonight." Wolfear panted in the frosty air.

"Sure. It seems good enough." Carvy replied.

They settled in, Foxpaw curled up next to Aruq's soft white fur, Carvy at a small space, Bunnypaw close by, and Wolfear padded to the entrance.

"I'll keep look out." Wolfear told them.

"I want to keep an eye on for that runt of a warrior."

Graytail knew he was thinking about Needleclaw. She shivered a little bit.

"Okay."

As she walked to where Carvy and Aruq laid, the dog scooted to a corner, prodding Foxpaw gently up, as if he wanted to give them some privacy.

"Gray, I don't think we're safe out here." Carvy growled, she thought the same too.

She sighed,

"We'll just have to deal with everything. But I swear by Moonclan that I'll bring you guys home safely."

She tried to convince herself at the thought of that.

Carvy looked back to where Aruq slept,

"He's a good friend, I would welcome him to the clan if I were leader."

"Yellowstar would have kicked you out by now!" Graytail teased.

"Yeah. I'm just saying he's good to us."

Graytail curled her tail around herself, Carvy did the same on the other side.

"Carvy, what do you think about Bunnypaw and Wolfear?" she dared to ask when Wolfear was in earshot, but he didn't notice.

"Oh, I could say lots of things! I've known Wolfear before. Well, when I first came to the forest." Carvy replied

As if to answer, Bunnypaw lifted her head from sleep, but put her head down again.

"We better get some rest. Tomorrow we'll be traveling farther." Graytail drifted into sleep, and the last thing she felt was Carvy's tail twine with her's.

"Gray? Gray, wake up."

Graytail's tail felt cold in the morning, until she noticed that Carvy had untwined his tail from her's, and had stood up.

"This early? _Now?_ " she replied.

"Gray, I wanted to go hunting. "

Graytail opened her eyes, and looked up. Carvy's gentle ice blue gaze stared down at her.

"O-okay."

When they returned from a silent hunt, they found Wolfear outside, with Bunnypaw.

They were sharing tongues. Aruq laid on his side a little farther away, his eyes closed as he took in the faintest warmth of the fading sun. Foxpaw curled up next to the dog.

"You're finally back. What were you guys doing up that early? I wouldn't say just talking." Wolfear teased. Carvy snarled and dropped the piece of kill he had.

"You can take _this_ as evidence, you stupid furball." he walked away.

Graytail had noticed Carvy only being nice to her, but with the others, he wasn't so pleasant.

 _I wonder why. He's a good friend._

"Graytail, wake up! You and him have grown closer to each other on the trip! Don't you see it?" Bunnypaw stood up, pressed herself to Graytail's side and followed her gaze to the sharp-tongued warrior.

"He likes you!"

Then she herself looked back at Wolfear, who was dozing off in the cave.

"I used to think Wolfear liked me too." she meowed softly.

 _Bunnypaw, you idiot. He likes you! A LOT!_ Graytail thought. _But maybe she's right!_

Graytail hasn't thought of that!

"I-I just thought Carvy was a good friend…" she trailed off.

Bunnypaw padded back to Wolfear, and left Graytail alone.

Her mind spun and spun,

 _But… but how?..._

She shook her head a bit,

 _We don't need distractions right now._


	10. Chapter 9-10

**Chapter 9**

"It's not that I don't like you as a friend, but… we can't let distractions get to us." Graytail meowed and looked up at the starlit sky. They had recovered from the short trip in the beginning. They were ready to start moving again tomorrow.

She heard the faint soft snoring of Wolfear, and the small breaths of Bunnypaw.

"But what could stop us?!" Carvy growled,

"Moonclan sent us here! We should be completing our mission, not socializing!"

"YOU IDIOT." Bunnypaw shouted in her sleep.

Carvy swirled around and looked at the two sleeping cats, he tilted his head in confusion, then shook his head,

"I… I thought we'd be working together…" he growled again, and closed his eyes in frustration.

"I'm not saying we're not! We just… have to focus on the mission."

And with that, the two cats stayed quiet, until Graytail went to go lay a little farther away from him, and went to sleep at Bunnypaw's and Aruq's sides.

Carvy laid down and curled up next to his apprentice.

With both hearts beating on each of her sides, Graytail was asleep.

"We are almost there, few steps to go," Aruq woofed as the cats walked to the rocky mountain. But Aruq stopped as they reached the mountains.

"Are you coming or what?" Carvy snarled

"Aruq must leave you. Brother not happy if scent me."

Aruq walked off on his own, Graytail, Wolfear, Foxpaw, and Carvy meowed farewell, and didn't follow. They were almost ready when they heard a cat yowling.

"Bunnypaw!" Wolfear's eyes widened as he ran the direction Aruq had gone.

 **Chapter 10**

The woofing of dogs came louder ahead, Aruq was now sprinting away. Wolfear had come back with Bunnypaw in his jaws. They got as far away from the dogs as possible, but could still hear their savage growls and barks.

"Hey! You! Over here!" Graytail heard a familiar voice, like she's heard it before, but couldn't guess who it was.

Graytail signaled them to follow her into the thorn bush where she'd heard the voice.

"Tigerpaw? Why would _you_ want to help us?" Wolfear looked straight at the tiger patterned she-cat's emerald eyes, his close- to- black pupils blazing.

"It's Tiger _stripe,_ and I helped because Earthfoot wasn't really that nice to you. I've recently received a prophecy from Moonclan, they told me to travel here. So I'm coming with you, either you like it or not."

Tigerstripe unsheathed her long, thick, claws into the grass. Carvy flinched a little at Graytail's side.

"Okay, fine. You can come, but we're still a little far away from our destination, so _listen_ to what either of us say, even the apprentices. Got that?"

Graytail's gaze was gentle to the ginger tabby she-cat, but her voice was strict.

"Fine." she meowed back and sheathed her claws. Graytail gave a long sigh as they all introduced themselves gently to Tigerstripe.

"I'm Graytail. I was sent on a prophecy with that stupid furball over there," she meowed as she flicked her ear in Carvy's direction. Tigerstripe gave a loud _mrrraow_ of amusement, loud enough for the others to hear. They whipped their heads rapidly at Tigerstripe.

Tigerstripe shrank back down, becoming barely half of her big size.

"S-sorry." She stammered, as Graytail rested her tail on the new warrior's shoulder.

Tigerstripe soon got up, and shook herself,

"When are we leaving?" She turned her head to Wolfear, who was bigger than her. Graytail guessed Tigerstripe must think he's the leader of the group, since he's even bigger than the tiger-like warrior.

"We'll leave as soon as we get something to eat." Graytail replied, after she saw Wolfear giving her a "I don't know, you tell her!" look.

Tigerstripe whipped her head in embarrassment to Graytail, then dipped her head,

"R- right, sorry."

Graytail felt pity for the newly made warrior, she must have lived a strict life in her clan.

"Okay, we'll have Wolfear go with Carvy and Foxpaw with- wait, where's Bunnypaw?!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE!" she hissed from inside of a hollow of a tree. "And I'm kinda scared..."

Graytail shook her head in amusement,

"Okay, then. Tigerstripe and I will go the other way." Graytail rested her fluffy tail on Tigerstripe's shoulder.

"Should I get her down?" Wolfear asked.

"Go ahead." Graytail teased.

They soon parted ways and went hunting.

"We should search in does bushes. We'd have a good chance of finding a nice juicy rabbit!" Tigerstripe meowed low, as the two she-cat's stalked through the forest.

Suddenly, Tigerstripe yowled in pain, Graytail turned around, but in that instant she got a slash to the eye.

"Don't you _dare_ cross that fence!" a deep, rasping mew rang into the clearing.

The cat looked plump and strong, but he was against two trained warriors. The tom had white fur, with black smudges on him, his bright emerald eyes pierced through them. He was bigger than her, even Tigerstripe flinched a little.

"We weren't planning to, you peice of fox-dung!" Tigerstripe hissed. There was a sound coming from in the bushes.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding!" The bran cat hissed as Bunnypaw, once again, tumbled out of the bushes. Loyal Foxpaw always at her side.

"What the- hey!" Bunnypaw was choked by Graytail's tail, stopping her retort.

"Why are you here? Tell me!" the tom glared hard at the four she-cats.

"We don't need to explain to the likes of _you_!" Tigerstripe bunched herself, ready to spring at the stupid piece of flesh and fur, but Graytail stopped her with a snarl.

"Who are _you?_ " Graytail growled to the plump cat.

"If I tell you, will you leave?" the barn cat sat down, flashing a glance at Tigerstripe, anger flashed in the barn cat's emerald eyes, Tigerstripe returned the gesture, and unsheathed her long, sharp claws, growling deep in her throat.

"Well, I'm Renegade. _Now_ will you leave?" Renegade shuffled his paws impatiently.

"But _we_ haven't introduced ourselves!" Bunnypaw answered.

"I'm Bunnypaw, this is Foxpaw, that's Graytail, and over there is Tigerstripe."

"She as furious as one." Renegade snarled as he shot a sharp look at the tiger-like she-cat.

Tigerstripe looked like she wanted to claw the fur out of the fat tom. She cursed under her breath.

"What in the name of Moonclan are you doing here?!" Wolfear stalked out of the bushes, Carvy at his side. Wolfear unsheathed his claws as soon as he saw Renegade. Tigerstripe sneered as Wolfear jumped in front of Bunnypaw to protect her, his snarling face was frightening.

"Hey, it's not like I'm an angry badger!" Renegade meowed, clearly offended.

"Who are you?" Carvy demanded as he padded to Graytail's side. Foxpaw loyally followed her mentor.

 _I don't need your help, you stupid furball!_

"I'm _Renegade._ Why don't you ask her who I am?" Renegade pointed his snout to Bunnypaw, she was hiding behind one of Wolfear's huge paws. Wolfear sheathed his claws.

"I don't want any trouble _now_." Renegade looked up at the clan cats,

"Well, at least _she'll_ still rip my fur off if I even touch her."

Tigerstripe grinned and dug her claws into the ground in temptation.

"Let's go." Graytail said, as she pulled away from Carvy.

"Wait," Renegade gave them pleading eyes,

"Can I come too?"


End file.
